Sex symbol

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A sex symbol is a famous person of either gender, typically an actor, musician, model, teen idol, or sports star who is found to be sexually attractive by the public or by a substantial niche audience. The celebrity "star system"—the tabloid papers, paparazzi, and gossip talk shows — play an important role in creating and sustaining the public perception of which stars are viewed as attractive. These media industries are in turn sustained by a strong public demand for sexually alluring photographs or footage of celebrities, including both posed, scantily-clad publicity shots for magazines like Maxim and unauthorized beach or nightclub photos taken by pararazzi with zoom lenses.

Contents

Sources

Film

The film industry played an important part in the rise of sex symbols by disseminating images of beautiful people around the world. The first[citation needed] sex symbols were Victorian actress and singer Lillian Russell, Danish silent-film actress Asta Nielsen (nicknamed 'The Silent Muse') and 'It Girl' Clara Bow in the 1910s and 1920s. Although not seen as a real sex symbol, Lillian Gish ('The First Lady of the Silent Screen') became the most popular actress of the era.[citation needed] Theda Bara and Pola Negri, famed for their vamp roles, were also early female sex symbols. Rudolph Valentino was cinema's first[citation needed] male sex symbol.

Film's Golden Age sex symbols include 1930s stars Marlene Dietrich, Greta Garbo, Jean Harlow ("The Platinum Blonde"), Joan Crawford, Norma Shearer, Mae West and Clark Gable. 40s and 50s icons Rita Hayworth (nicknamed "The Love Goddess"), Ava Gardner, Jane Russell, Betty Grable, Bettie Page (in print and underground films), Lana Turner, the three "Blond Bombshells": Marilyn Monroe (the most iconic sex symbol of Hollywood's Golden Age)- Jayne Mansfield - Mamie Van Doren, Sophia Loren, Gina Lollobrigida, Brigitte Bardot, Audrey Hepburn, Kim Novak, Elizabeth Taylor, Marlon Brando, James Dean, Rock Hudson, Robert Mitchum, Gregory Peck and Cary Grant.

Important 60s and 70s sex symbols included Ursula Andress, Mark Hamill, Ann-Margret, Jacqueline Bisset, Barbara Bouchet, Jane Fonda, Sharon Tate, Raquel Welch, Catherine Deneuve, Nichelle Nichols, Pam Grier, Ali MacGraw, Helen Mirren,[1] Meryl Streep[1], Sean Connery, Steve McQueen, Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Burt Reynolds, Robert De Niro and John Travolta.

In the 1980s, other signtificant sex symbols at one point or another during that period included Harrison Ford, Val Kilmer, Matt Dillon, Charlie Sheen, Bruce Willis, muscle man Arnold Schwarzenegger, Tom Cruise, Michelle Pfeiffer, Mel Gibson, Meg Ryan, John Travolta, Michael J. Fox, Patrick Swayze, Matthew Broderick, Robert Downey Jr., Sean Penn, Kathleen Turner, & Carrie Fisher.[citation needed]

As TV's influence grew during the last three decades there was a shift[citation needed] to TV stars becoming more famous, Pamela Anderson,[2] Tiffani-Amber Thiessen, Carmen Electra, Farrah Fawcett, Lucy Lui, Valerie Bertinelli, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Mila Kunis[3] and Don Johnson, all became sex symbols through TV.

More recent silver screen icons are Denzel Washington, Angelina Jolie,[4]Demi Moore, Scarlett Johansson, Drew Barrymore, Halle Berry, Rebecca Romijn, Keira Knightley, Alicia Silverstone, Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Lopez, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Jessica Alba, Cameron Diaz, Brad Pitt, Orlando Bloom, Will Smith, George Clooney,[5] Johnny Depp, Leonardo DiCaprio, Colin Farrell,[6] ,[7][8][9][10]Matthew McConaughey, Matt Damon, Jude Law, Jonathan Scott-Taylor, Megan Fox, Charlize Theron, Christian Bale, Brandon Routh, Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger.[5]

Cartoons

1930's cartoon character Betty Boop is known as the first and one of the most famous sex symbol on animated screen.[11][12] After Betty Boop, Jessica Rabbit, who was voiced by Kathleen Turner, is widely considered as the next biggest animated sex symbol.[13]

Music

Blues musicians were some of the first artists to become sex symbols.[citation needed] Rock n' roll and pop would follow later on. Some classic example of former or older sex symbols are Madonna, The Bee Gees Andy Gibb, Marvin Gaye,[14] Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, Mick Jagger, Jimi Hendrix, Robert Plant, Roger Daltrey, Steven Tyler[15][16] , Prince, Jim Morrison, Anish Nadh, Sting, Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey, Tom Jones, Cher, Bruce Springsteen, and Rod Stewart set the stage for contemporary examples, such as Beyonce, Nick Carter, Nicole Scherzinger, Britney Spears, Fergie, Jennifer Lopez, Brandon Flowers, Christina Aguilera,[17] Justin Timberlake,[17] , David Archuleta ,Shakira, Tila Tequila, Tarkan, Uhm Jung-hwa, Harisu, Usher, Shania Twain,Ciara, Alicia Keys, Lil Kim, Kylie Minogue, Paris Hilton,kudou mai,koda kumi, Jonathan Scott-Taylor. A few music groups are referred to as sex symbols. Such as Pussycat Dolls, Danity Kane, Destiny's Child, and TLC.

Models

Model Gisele Bündchen
Model Gisele Bündchen

Many models and supermodels are widely known enough to be considered sex symbols. Some of today's sex symbols who have become famous as models include Anna Nicole Smith, Twiggy, Cindy Crawford, Elle Macpherson, Naomi Campbell, Gisele Bündchen,[18][19] Christy Turlington, Ana Beatriz Barros, Laetitia Casta, Adriana Lima.[18], Alessandra Ambrosio[18], Heidi Klum[18], Tyra Banks[18], Kate Moss[20][21] Male models: Tyson Beckford, Marcus Schenkenburg.[22]

Video games

Video games have had a few characters that are considered sex symbols, although their fame often does not extend into the mainstream. The most well-known example of this category would be Lara Croft,[4][23] which has had several appearances in mainstream media. The first Lara Croft model, Nell McAndrew, appeared on Playboy on August of 1999, although the magazine was prevented legally from displaying the name "Lara Croft" next to the model..[24]

Other sex symbols with less notoriety in the mainstream include:

Teen idols

Many teen idols are also sex symbols. In particular, boy bands are frequently regarded as sex symbols by adoring fans. Fans frequently focus their attention on a single member of the group, but the entire group is seen as a sex symbol by association[citation needed]. Some examples of boy bands are Backstreet Boys and N Sync. Examples of teen idols are Ricky Martin, Jarrod Tavares, Morgan Freeman, David Archuleta, Ben Barnes, Chris Brown, Rihanna, Mitch Hewer and Robert Pattinson.[27][28]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b ABC News: Senior Sex Symbols steal the screen
  2. ^ The Sun: Pammi is telly's sexiest star
  3. ^ "FHM Readers Name Scarlett Johansson World's Sexiest Woman; Actress Tops Voting in FHM's 100 Sexiest Women in the World 2006 Readers' Poll", Business Wire (2006-03-27). Retrieved on 2008-01-01. 
  4. ^ a b Channel 4 Top 100 Sex Symbols internet poll
  5. ^ a b So just who was it for you last night? Independent, published 2007-08-10
  6. ^ "Company Magazine's 100 Sexiest Men of 2003". Obtained 6th position. Retrieved on 2008-02-28.
  7. ^ Listed on People Magazine, "50 Most Beautiful People", 2006-04-28.
  8. ^ "Hottest Bachelors of 2006.", People magazine, (2005-11-10), "Ten Things to Love about Jake". Retrieved 2006-09-19.
  9. ^ Position #1 on Jenson, Michael. (2007-07-23), "The AfterElton.com Hot 100 List", AfterElton. Polling of thousands of gay and bisexual men. Retrieved 2007-07-24.
  10. ^ People Magazine's Top 50 Sexiest Man Alive of 2007 Ranked #8
  11. ^ Betty Boop - Boop Oop a Doop (1986) from Rotten Tomatoes
  12. ^ Video World Is Smitten by a Gun-Toting, Tomb-Raiding Sex Symbol from The New York Times
  13. ^ THE LAST MOVIE STAR from Entertainment Weekly.
  14. ^ Ebony magazine: The greatest African-American sex symbols, The Beatles November 1, 2005, retrieved March 21, 2008
  15. ^ Laura: "Jon Bon Jovi", page 73. Citadel Press, 2004
  16. ^ Awarded Sexiest Rock Star by People magazine on 2000, 2002 and 2003
  17. ^ a b , Michael JacksonThe New Yorker: Sex Symbols, New albums from Christina Aguilera and Justin Timberlake, November 1, 2005, retrieved March 21, 2008
  18. ^ a b c d e PalmBeachPost.com: Victoria's secret Angels Across America Tour
  19. ^ FHM 100 Sexiest Women in The World 2007 List - Shoryuken
  20. ^ Daily Star Sunday: Sexiest women
  21. ^ Kate drops out of 100 sexiest
  22. ^ named "Man of the Year" in 1995 by the cable television music channel VH1, as well as one of the "50 Most Beautiful People in the World" by People magazine
  23. ^ "Boom Raider" Telegraph retrieved 5 March 2008
  24. ^ Lara saved from Playboy
  25. ^ AT's Top 10 Video Game Chicks Actiontrip. Retrieved on December 2, 2007
  26. ^ Guinness World Records Gamers Edition 2008 pg.81 (bottom-right) ISBN 978-1-904994-20-6
  27. ^ Time Warner: Ricky Martin Is A Hit With AOL Audience Mojo'ng Mike Myers Up Next June 1999, retrieved March 17, 2008
  28. ^ "He's the perfect mass-market sex symbol for a simple reason: Martin projects no inner life that might distract fans from the malleable boy-toy fantasy." --Jim Farber of Daily News (October 29, 1999), reviewing Martin's concert at Madison Square Garden, retrieved from [1] on March 17, 2008

External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sex_symbol"

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